There is a saying in Korea, the marching goes on even when the dogs bark. Trump was at the U.N. this week threatening to totally annihilate North Korea if the U.S. was attacked. The stance dismayed allies and startled South Korea. Somehow Trump fails to realize Korea is a divided nation. A nation with a long history of conflict and conquest with neighbours to North and East.

JFK had adopted the more conciliatory line of "Ich Bin Ein Berliner" when dealing with international conflict and the cold war. Far better than threatening to nuke East Germany as friends and families from the West looked on.

Kim Jong-un was denounced as "Rocket Man on a suicide mission" by Trump. A smart call, diminishing "he of diminished stature". Trump was declared a dotard by Kim Jong-un. " A frightened dog barks louder" claimed the North Korean leader, " I will tame the mentally deranged U.S dotard with fire". Journalists rushed for the dictionary. "An old person especially one who has become weak or senile" the meaning.

Why should the communists always get the best lines? Because the North Korean's have had long practice. Lyndon B Johnson was described as a "living corpse", George Bush a "tyrannical imbecile" and Hillary Clinton as a "Funny Lady who looks like sometimes like a primary schoolgirl and sometimes like a pensioner going shopping". Yep practice makes perfect! On a more serious note ...

Later, North Korea's top diplomat said his country may test a hydrogen bomb in the Pacific Ocean to fulfil leader Kim Jong Un's vow. Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho told reporters in New York that a response "could be the most powerful detonation of an H-bomb in the Pacific".

The time for name calling is over. Trump may not be ready yet to claim "I am a man from Pyongyang" but it surely is time to dial down the rhetoric before it is time to dial up the codes for strategic nukes ...

That's all from the West Wing Whisky Tango Foxtrot this week ... enjoy the weekend!

West Wing WTF ... The fickle finger of ...The fickle finger of the President is pointing both ways in Congress and Senate. "He likes us, well he likes me anyway" said Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer this week.

The Senator had just outlined a proposal on immigration and DACA to cut a deal with the White House. Schumer and Nancy Pelosi had a private dinner with the President. Crispy beef along with Trump's principals were on the table. Republicans were not at the banquet.

House speaker, Paul D. Ryan, and Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, were excluded from the dinner. The president was sending the message. He was "willing to exclude the leadership of his own partyin the interest of scoring fast legislative victories", according to the New York Times.

The softer line on DACA alienated the alt right in the Trump support camp. Bernie Sanders called Trump “the most destructive president” in modern history. Sanders was attacked on Twitter, a few strong words on immigration were added to appease the right. Uncertainty on the conversations over dinner confused the left. The GOP takes umbrage at the political shape of the Oval Office.

Getting things done may be difficult. Who would have thought politics could be so complicated. The President ate a Chinese meal as another Korean missile flew over Japan. Kim Jung-un has vowed to achieve military parity with the U.S. The goal - "to establish the equilibrium of real force with the US, so US rulers dare not talk about a military option for the DPRK [North Korea]". No talk of military action for the moment. Diplomacy and sanctions the solution in the short term. Sending the people of North Korea food and videos of life in the West may be more productive then hell fire and destruction.

That's all from the West Wing Whisky Tango Foxtrot this week. Off to catch a bus ... and to play tennis!

Obama left a letter for Trump. It is not clear the President has read it. What is clear, is that something is happening in the White House. Happy days! General Kelly is creating order out of chaos. The chief of staff, now has his own protector. Kirstjen Nielsen — his brusque, no-nonsense longtime aide has been appointed as an assistant to the president and his principal deputy.

According to the New York Times, some of her new colleagues are already comparing Nielsen to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the feared Vatican enforcer who eventually became Pope Benedict XVI.

Better still, the President appears to be developing statecraft. The move to sideline the GOP and align with the Democrats on the debt ceiling is claimed by some as a master stroke. Why bother with a debt cap, when the cap is doffed, every time the limit is approached. Playing chicken with a fed shut down, rolling pork barrel politics into the spending plans may preoccupy the Washington swamp. The President seeks to end the game. Why not side with the Democrats to get something done? Political conviction was never a strong point.

As for North Korea a solution may well emerge within the President's gift. Special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating plans to build a Trump Hotel in Moscow as boost to campaign credibility in the run up to the election. It could have been a great boost to peace in our time.

In North Korea, Pyongyang, sits the unfinished Ryugyong hotel. 105 floors of a pyramid style luxury hotel, commissioned in 1987. The "Hotel of Doom" could be the perfect Trump Tower make over. No fire and fury, no nuclear attack. Just electricity and substantial access to capital, the offer to transform the skyline and diplomatic relations North and South. Who said diplomacy was difficult! A president who gets things done, for a profit of course!

That's all from the West Wing Whisky Tango Foxtrot this week. It has been a chaotic week, make that seven weeks. The President continues to attack the Attorney General, the leader of the Republican Party, the leader of the house and the GOP as a whole. Tensions between John Kelly and Trump are rising, Gary Cohn and others have been openly critical ... bubbling nicely ... something has to give and soon ... The President may become a democrat and open a hotel in North Korea …

West Wing WTF ... The President speaks for himself...The President was in Houston this week. Seeing for himself first hand the problems facing the people of Texas. Well not really. A briefing in an aircraft hanger safe in the dry zone would convince few of the risks undertaken by the Air Force One team. "Texas is heeling fast" tweeted the president. The typo was rescinded within the hour. Well just under two actually.

Something strange is happening to the US constitution. The separation of powers is attracting an additional rift. The founding fathers supported the isolation of the executive, the legislative and the judiciary each supporting the rule of law. The administration is dividing into the executive branch and the President. "The President speaks for himself" explained Rex Tillerson following the Charlottesville comments last week.

The President speaks and Tweets for himself, we just get on with the job the explanation. General John Kelly has executed a military coup of sorts within the White House. Steve Bannon banished, Gorka long gone. The Alt Right eliminated. The military have their say on Afghanistan. Transgenders will stay until policy is evaluated. Mad Dog Mattis proffers peace in the peninsula as Trump rants about his fire and fury solution.

Battles are looming in Congress about the budget, tax cuts and the debt ceiling. The President speaks for himself and fewer and fewer are listening. Trump fired his long term events organiser George Gigicos this week. Trump walked into the Pheonix rally, into a room half empty. Poor organisation by George or too many notes singing the old tunes from the podium?

That's all from the West Wing Whisky Tango Foxtrot this week. It has been a chaotic week, make that six weeks. The President continues to attack the Attorney General, the leader of the Republican Party, the leader of the house and the GOP as a whole. Tensions between John Kelly and Trump are rising, Gary Cohn and others have been openly critical ... bubbling nicely ... something has to give and soon …

That's all for this week. A bit geeky perhaps, sorry about that!Have a great week-end ...JohnThanks for your feedback on the Saturday Economist Net Promoter Scores survey. Here's what you are saying about the weekly update! Thanks.

West Wing WTF ... Resist! this is not normal ...The President was in Pheonix this week. Following disastrous comments post Charlottesville, Trump needed a rally. Like a junkie in need of a fix, Trump likes to centre stage with an audience that can't ask awkward questions and answer back.

Build that Wall! The pressure is off the Mexican government to pay for the wall apparently. Trump is threatening to shut down the Federal Government unless Congress votes through some money to begin foundations at least. The debt ceiling crisis looms in the months ahead. Trump is now attacking the Democrats and the Republicans alike. Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan are singled out for special treatment. Attacks on the leader of the party and the leader of the house ensure that as things go wrong, and they will, Trump has his scapegoats in place.

"Everyone is under you and no-one is listening" McConnell is realistic about his role as leader in the party. "Just like the groundsman in the cemetery" he explained. He could have equally been speaking about the President. Trump is intent on digging his own political grave in the process.

General John Kelly is trying to bring order to the chaos in the White House, not without some difficulty. “The best job I ever had was as a sergeant in the Marine Corps,” he said with a laugh among friends recently, “and after one week on this job, I believe the best job I ever had is as a sergeant in the Marine Corps.”

That's all from the West Wing Whisky Tango Foxtrot this week. It has been a chaotic week, make that five weeks. The President continues to attack the Attorney General, the leader of the Republican Party, the leader of the house and the GOP as a whole. Who would have thought politics could be so difficult ...

Traders cheered, the Alt-Left jeered. Steve Bannon is leaving the White House. It has been a turbulent week for President Trump. Stephen K. Bannon is returning to Breitbart as executive Chairman. Bannon will maintain the fight for the Alt-Right and for the right wing soul of the Trump administration.

"He has not been with us very long" explained the President in response to a press query this week. Usually a signal for imminent departure and it was, Trump explained Bannon was a good friend and is not a racist. Good to know. There appeared to be some doubt about White House credentials following the President's statement on Charlottesville. "Fine men on both sides" said Trump, an apparent endorsement of Nazis, KKK and white supremacists everywhere.

Condemnation flowed from allies and enemies alike. Trump united Iran and Israel in condemnation of his remarks. World leaders were openly critical. The Pope was moved to make a statement. The President lost his advisory panels on manufacturing and strategy. Who will stand with me? Not many. Republicans begin to distance themselves from the White House. The Democrats already have the best spots to rubberneck the rumpus in the Oval Office.

The good news ... fears of a nuclear war with North Korea have evaporated. Kim Jung Un decided against bombing Guam. It would have been good for tourism explained Trump! President Moon Jae-In of South Korea assured there would be no war with the North. The military affirmed. Steve Bannon explained, there was no war game scenario which didn't leave three million dead in the first months of conflict on the Korean peninsula. A sobering thought Bannon as a dove! Who would have thought that.

That's all from the West Wing Whisky Tango Foxtrot this week. It has been a chaotic week, make that four weeks. The President has attacked the Attorney General, the leader of the Republican Party and the GOP as a whole. Who would have thought governing a country could be so difficult ...

Don't Miss the Economics Conference on the 13th October. Our theme is the Economics of Greater Manchester. We will be talking about the Inclusive Growth Challenge, Balancing the Books and the Sectors Driving Growth in the City Region! Another Great Conference in the pro-manchester series . We have a great line up of speakers to be announced soon. Book Now Don't Miss Out ...

"Sopranos in the White House" or "The Godfather meets the GOP", was the soap opera theme last week. The drama didn't last long. The "Mooch" lasted just ten days. Just how many people can you alienate in a week? Scaramuuci set a course record. Washington hit back. A swamp is no place for a sewer rat.

General John Kelly moved in as head of White House staff. The Mooch was fired. Martial law restored to the West Wing. Standing Orders: Get to work early and make an appointment to see the President. Bring your golf clubs in August! The President is off on an extended golfing break. Changes in the White House in his absence, will include a new air conditioning unit in the West Wing, to cool tempers in the Oval Office as he watches "Fake News".

Another extraordinary week in Washington. The economy created a further 209,000 jobs in July pushing the unemployment rate to 4.3%. "I have just made another million" claimed Trump. This was not a reference to the lease deal with the FBI security team installed in Trump Tower! but a reference to the jobs created during his time in office. A million jobs in six months! Imagine what could be achieved in the next three and a half years with the prospect of a second term. Crikey we will need immigrants after all. Even those who don't "habla inglese"

A second term in office, appeared unlikely this week as Robert Mueller announced the formation of a grand Jury to investigate the Trump election campaign. Transcripts appeared from the President's conversations with Mexico and Australia. The President begged Peña Nieto to stop talking about the wall! "You keep saying Mexico will not pay for the wall" says Trump, "You cannot say that to the press ..."

With Malcolm Turnbull the issue was the 1,250 refugees Obama had agreed to take into the USA from Australian boat trips. "This is a stupid deal. It will make me look bad". "I hate taking these people. I guarantee they are bad. They are not going to be wonderful people, who go on to work for the local milk people".

Ah yes the milk people's loss is a White House watcher's mystery. Who are the milk people anyway. Max Boot, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations explained. Following Trump "It’s like being woken up with a pitcher of water on my face every morning."

The President was in Ohio this week. John McNally, Democratic mayor of Youngstown said: "He talked about our steel mills and that those jobs are coming back. I’m not quite sure anybody was buying into it. . . . My finance director had come in and was standing next to me, and I think we just both looked at each other like, “What’s he talking about?”

Yep what is he talking about! That's all for this week from The West Wing, Whisky, Tango, Foxtrot ... You can check out the series of blog posts here or leave any comments or LIKES on the Facebook page here …

The best show in town offered a new twist this week. Anthony (The Mooch) Scaramucci moved into action. Think "Sopranos in the White House" or "The Godfather meets the GOP", there is no doubt Trump has made a great hire, in the quest for ratings.

The head of communication did not hold back. "Here in Washington, people stab you in the back!" explained the Mooch to Emily Maitlis this week. "Where I come from we look you in the eyes and stab you in the front". Excellent! The Mooch lurched towards the Newsnight handler, an obvious devotee of the Cult of Personal Space Invaders.

"Don't touch Emily" we screamed from the couch, fearing the hidden stiletto. Some just had to turn away. It was all too much. As it was he called Emily Maitlis elitist. Imagine! The President is not elitist, it was explained, he eats Pizza and Beefburgers ...

If you want to "Drain the Swamp, Hire a Sewer Rat" must be an old Bronx expression. Scaramucci explained his admiration for Reince Priebus and Steve Bannon in fond four letter vernacular. By the end of the week, John Kelly became Chief of Staff. Reince Priebus "Sleeps with the Fishes" and Steve Bannon sleeps with "One Eye Open". The Mooch is in the camp!

Trump was out and about this week. Others moved in damage limitation exercise. The head of scouts apologised for the political rhetoric inserted into President's address to jamboree last week. The generals explained there would be no change in policy for trans gender military, despite Trump's three tweets on the subject. [Yes some issues are just too complicated for 140 characters.]

The police hierarchy explained there would be no change to the treatment of suspects in police custody. The President had suggested the definition of "soft on crime" included the shoving of suspects into the back of the car ensuring there was no banging of heads. "When you guys put someone in the back of the car ..." Don't feel you have to wait 'til you get back to the police station to ...

The Senate moved to block and ensnare Trump this week. John McCain delivered the "Coup Sans Grace" to the "Skinny Legis" option for health care. In a dramatic thumbs down from the Senator, the White House lost the vote. The bill foundered. McCain remembers the taunts from the President about the Vietnam war. “He’s not a war hero. He’s a war hero because he was captured? I like people who weren’t captured.” Said the President about John McCain's war record. Who said politics and diplomacy was difficult!

The Senate and Congress don't like the way Trump is taunting and teasing Jeff Sessions, the Attorney General. Trump will have difficulty enacting legislation and budget. The Fed runs out of money in three months time. The house moved to impose sanctions on Russia, leaving the President with no option but to sign the deal.

The domestic drama continues, the Kremlin seized U.S. properties in Moscow, missiles flew from North Korea, Chinese ships sail in the Baltic Sea in joint exercise with the Russians ... The international drame is escalating! Sooner or later the chlorinated chickens will come home to roost ... the fiasco cannot conceivably run full term ...

That's all for this week from The West Wing, Whisky, Tango, Foxtrot ... You can check out the series of blog posts here or leave any comments or LIKES on the Facebook page here ...

The President has appointed Anthony Scaramucci Director of Communications at the White House. It was all too much for Sean Spicer former White House Press secretary. Sean Spicer resigned.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Spicer's deputy was appointed to replace him in what may well become the quarterly White House shuffle. "The President had wanted me to stay" said Spicer "Better to give them an opportunity to have a clean slate".

Spicer had the difficult job of defending the President in the operation of the unorthodox. According to the Washington Post, "The humiliations started with his first appearance in the Press Room, the day after Trump's inauguration. Press comparisons with the size of crowd compared to Obama, prompted a fierce response at the behest of the President. "This was the largest audience to witness an inauguration, period", said Spicer. It was later revealed that Trump angered by cable new coverage, had personally ordered the performance.

More problems followed as Spicer was forced to explain the "travel ban" was not a "travel ban". Kelly Anne Conway explained the use of Spicer's "alternative facts". Saturday Night Live led to the merciless lampooning of Spicer, in the "Spicey Show" on Saturday Night Live.

Spicer was increasingly undercut by Trump on Twitter or in any media vehicle for that matter. Sidelined in recent weeks, the daily briefings discontinued, the off the record sessions replaced the incoherent attempts to keep pace with the ramblings from the Oval Office. Spicer's credibility was exhausted. It is time for Scaramucci to have a go. Scaramucci loves the President, loves the White House, loves Sean Spicer, loves America as he explained in his first press show on Friday.

OK, he may have dismissed Trump as a "Hick Politician" in the past ... but that was then and this is now. For the moment, it's a love in at the White House ... but for how long remains to be seen ... at least he has no contacts with the Russians ... or ...

That's all for this week from The West Wing, Whisky, Tango, Foxtrot ... You can check out the series of blog posts here or leave any comments or LIKES on the Facebook page here ...

Trump was back in Europe this week. It was Bastille Day. Macron stole a march on May and Merkel. The special relationship evident. Who could forget the French assisted the Americans in their fight for freedom against the British. The special relationship dates back to Lafayette and the Battle of Brandywine in 1777. Trump offered an excruciating lesson in history to the evidently bored Macron.

The visit was deemed to be a great success. A welcome distraction from Trump juniors dalliance with the Russians. An act of treason? No "Don is a good boy. He’s a good kid. And he had a meeting, nothing happened with the meeting. It was a short meeting as he told me — because I only heard about it two or three days ago." "My son Donald was open, transparent and innocent. This is the greatest witch hunt in political history. Sad" ... tweeted the leader of the Free world.

"It was a great honor to represent the United States at the magnificent Bastille Day parade. Went to Eiffel Tower for Dinner with Mrs Macron". Looking in good shape and beautiful! [Madame Macron not the Eiffel Tower]. So much for the international language and diplomacy of male chauvinism.

The French have worked out the formula for a successful US state visit. One on one meetings, Trump can't cope with a G20 group. A parade, a big beautiful parade, Trump loves a parade with marching bands, the bigger the better. No press or limited press access with predetermined questions preferable. Short set speeches with autocue, no ad libs especially in front of camera. An ego boost, a special meal for four at the Eiffel Tower, frogs legs with ketchup and fries the favourite. No politics or policy as a side order.

Just look what can be achieved. Trump agreed to reconsider the Paris agreement. He probably didn't realise it had anything to do with global warming, just the fact that Brigitte Macron looked cool.

Trump explained his belief in transparency to the press corp on Airforce One. He was talking about the great Mexican wall, not the White House press office!"You have to have transparency, you have to see what’s on the other side of the wall. And I’ll give you an example. As horrible as it sounds, when they throw the large sacks of drugs over, and if you have people on the other side of the wall, you don’t see them — they hit you on the head with 60 pounds of stuff? It’s over. As crazy as that sounds, you need transparency through that wall."

Here's a President with a clear grasp of how drug shipments are moved around the world, a big sack and a strong arm ... excellent! They should really shout "Fore" as they throw. Like we do at Mar A Lago ... that should reduce the death toll in the drugs trade ...

That's all for this week from The West Wing, Whisky, Tango, Foxtrot ... You can check out the series of blog posts here or leave any comments or LIKES on the Facebook page here ...

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